Zimbabwe Let’s Talk About Cancer

A few weeks ago we lost Tongai Moyo to non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma a rare type of blood cancer. Moyo popularly known as Dhewa was one of Zimbabwe’s most loved entertainers who bravely fought the disease till the end.

Another popular person who has chosen to talk about her battle with cancer is Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe. Apart from a few people like these two who have come out and openly spoken about their medical condition, cancer is still one of those diseases that is still surrounded with superstition and misinformation in our society.

In Zimbabwe any life threatening medical conditions seems to send most people speculating whispering and creating stigmas which are in most cases no where near the truth about the disease.

Cancer is a term for a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumours or abnormal growth, and invade nearby parts of the body.

Zimbabweans generally need to learn to seek professional advice on health matters before they start getting sick, because usually when one falls sick it will be too late.

The sad reality is that a disease like cancer in some cases can be treated completely or it can be at least stopped from rapidly spreading if detected early. Yet people at times waste time before they go to see a doctor.

Common types of cancers include breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men; however cancer cells can grow anyway in the body. Make it a habit to inform yourself about cancer and ask your doctor about it when you next visit the hospital or clinic.

This article was written to raise awareness about cancer and is not give medical advise.Always consult your doctor about medical conditions.

So true. With HIV/AIDS being foremost in everyone’s mind any time one coughs, loses wieght or looks sickly one can almost see their workmates, church elders, church deacons and relatives whisper behind their backs that their past has caught up with them and now it is becoming obvious that they are ill. There’s no shame in being sick. It’s disgusting how we are so willing as a society to stigmatize when we know that our hidden behaviour is actually more life threatening (or used to be) than the one we’re openly castigating.

DYK, According to a 2010 stats survey 31% of black smokers believe that lung cancer happens only to white people?! A common argument that was found was , “i personally have never heard of a black person dying of lung cancer”.